Sub-sea-floor sediments may contain two-thirds of Earth's total prokaryotic biomass. However, this has its basis in data extrapolation from ~500-meter to 4-kilometer depths, whereas the deepest documented prokaryotes are from only 842 meters. Here, we provide evidence for low concentrations of living prokaryotic cells in the deepest (1626 meters below the sea floor), oldest (111 million years old), and potentially hottest (~100°C) marine sediments investigated. These Newfoundland margin sediments also have DNA sequences related to thermophilic and/or hyperthermophilic Archaea. These form two unique clusters within Pyrococcus and Thermococcus genera, suggesting unknown, uncultured groups are present in deep, hot, marine sediments (~54° to 100°C). Sequences of anaerobic methane-oxidizing Archaea were also present, suggesting a deep biosphere partly supported by methane. These findings demonstrate that the sub-sea-floor biosphere extends to at least 1600 meters below the sea floor and probably deeper, given an upper temperature limit for prokaryotic life of at least 113°C and increasing thermogenic energy supply with depth.
So what? I had Sea-Monkies when I was a kid. None of them wore a crown like on the box but they were sweet!
Sponge Bob Squarepants has made the NY Slimes!
These “scientists” have made a horrid blunder, that will DOOM US ALL!
They better stop their irrational, meddlesome, misguided tinkering before it is TOO LATE!
Those are NOT “prokaryotes”; THEY ARE GAEA'S BRAIN CELLS!
They are lobotomizing Mother Gaea!
They will KILL US ALL!
DOOMED! We'll all be DOOMED, I tell you!
I guess the good thing is Life TM will survive on Earth until the red giant Sun cooks everything in 3 billion years or a 200 km wide comet hits the planet. Otherwise, Life will survive just about everything else even if we don’t.
And pooping pure petroleum by any chance?
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